


Stages of Love

by pretentiouskneecap



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, But mostly fluff, Clover Deserved Better, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Qrow deserved better, some very very slight self-harm at the beginning, we love two soft birbs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:20:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22726054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pretentiouskneecap/pseuds/pretentiouskneecap
Summary: Falling in love- real, lasting love- doesn't happen all at once. It comes in stages.Or: Qrow slowly realizes the way he feels about Clover. Lucky for him, the feeling is returned very much in kind.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Comments: 15
Kudos: 167





	Stages of Love

**Author's Note:**

> So, its a funny story. I stayed up late last night writing out a chunk of fair game fic that grabbed hold of me, hoping that I might have time to work on it more today. But then this morning I attended my very first lecture of the day, and it was (surprise) about love. One of the philosophies of love that was presented theorized that the process of falling in love could be broken down into three stages: value, respect, and adoration. At that point the need to write this fic possessed me so intensely that I spent the next two hours writing it instead of studying like I was supposed to, and here we are.
> 
> Happy Valentines Day everyone!

I. Value

Qrow’s hands were shaking.

He clenched them together, hard, trying to get them to stop. He tried to focus on the voices of the kids coming from inside, grounding himself in hearing his niece’s bright tones, alive and safe. He tried to close his eyes against the flashes of battle that sped through his mind on repeat, digging the heels of his hands into them.

Nothing was going to get the sight of Ruby falling with her aura shattering around her out of his mind. She was fine, of course; the wound hadn’t been close to fatal and Jaune had been at her side in a second, healing her fully before Qrow and Weiss had even finished slaughtering the Grimm that had gotten to her.

But even holding onto that fact couldn’t change the reality that it had _happened_ and Qrow hadn’t stopped shaking since they got back to the bunker in Mantle they’d been hiding in. He dug his fingernails into his palms as hard as he could, breaking the skin there and trying to get the pain to distract him.

His throat remained itchy and dry no matter how many times he swallowed. He really needed a damn drink, but he reminded himself that that was off the table for the very same reason he was desperate for it in the first place. Didn’t matter how much he was craving it to get the images out of his mind, if only for a second.

Qrow heard the creak of the door opening and shutting behind him, and shortly after he felt the gentle weight of a warm hand on his shoulder.

“You okay?” A low voice asked. _Clover_ , he thought, and felt the tension in him loosen slightly at the touch. Clover lowered himself down to sit next to him on the stair, a solid presence at his side. He was close enough that their shoulders brushed against each other.

Qrow let out a choked laugh, scrubbing at his face, “Sure. Why wouldn’t I be? Everything turned out fine, didn’t it?” he said, not entirely meaning to end on a question.

Clover, perceptive as ever, picked up on the uncertainty in his tone. There was a gentle smile on his face as he knocked his shoulder against Qrow’s, “Yeah, it did. She _is_ fine, Qrow, Ruby’s as bubbly and energetic as ever. She’s already teaching Penny the rules for some kind of horrifically complicated-sounding game.”

Qrow’s lips twitched up a bit at the thought. He felt Clover slide his hand over to Qrow’s other shoulder, tugging him closer to his side. Qrow forced himself to relax a little more and go with the movement, resting his head on Clover’s shoulder. Clover’s thumb gently brushed along his collarbone.

The two were silent for a moment before Qrow broke it.

“What if Jaune hadn’t been there?” he rasped, “I couldn’t get to her fast enough. What kind of uncle am I if I can’t protect her?”

“If Jaune hadn’t been there, we would’ve gotten her medical attention and she still would’ve been okay. And you were between her and the Grimm as soon as it happened to make sure it couldn’t hurt her any worse. You did everything you could, Qrow. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it as many times as I need to- you’re an excellent uncle to these kids. You’ve protected them as much as anyone could have.” Clover’s warm breath ghosted along the top of his head and Qrow closed his eyes, letting the rumble of Clover’s voice soothe him.

“Sorry,” he whispered a moment later, forcing the words out. He felt guilty burdening Clover with this when he knew the man had plenty of other things weighing on him. “I know I’m just going around in circles. I’ll be okay in a few minutes, Clover, you don’t have to stay.”

His companion sighed next to him, “Qrow, I know I’ve been- off, since everything that happened in Atlas. But I don’t regret my choices, and I’ve been making more peace with them every day, in no small part because of you. You’ve been truly amazing at being here for me when I needed you. The least I can do is return the favor.”

Qrow felt Clover shift slightly as he paused to consider his next words, still running soothing circles over his back before continuing. “And even if I didn’t owe you, I would be here anyway. I’d rather sit right here with you than be anywhere else.”

Qrow grew warm at that statement, although he wasn’t quite centered enough right this minute to explore the full implications of it. He let go of the last of the tension he was holding in his body, feeling Clover adjust to take his full weight. “Thank you,” he breathed.

Clover’s other arm came up around him as he tightened the embrace momentarily.

“Anytime, Qrow. Anytime.”

II. Respect

Qrow had been working alongside Clover for a while now, yet somehow he still managed to be surprised at how well the two of them could work together in combat without needing to actually speak to each other.

Part of it was the sheer talent and skill Clover possessed as a huntsman. Qrow, for all his intimate knowledge of his own faults, had no illusions about the level of skill that he’d honed over years of dangerous missions and close calls. Just the fact that Clover could even keep up with him put him in the category of one of the best huntsmen he’d ever worked with, easy.

And damn, but Clover could _move_. Looking at Clover, his strength was obvious enough, especially with the man’s ridiculous penchant for wearing shirts without sleeves. Usually with fighters like that, their strength came in expense of their speed, an advantage Qrow had used against opponents plenty of times before. He could dance circles around them as they floundered trying to keep up.

Clover did not have that disadvantage.

The man was as quick as the harpoon gun he wielded at Kingfisher’s base, striking quickly and moving back before the Grimm surrounding them had any idea what had hit them. His fighting style depended on both strength and speed, wrapping his opponents up before they could react and manipulating his weapon to put them where he wanted them.

If pressed, Qrow would still bet on himself as the faster of the two of them, but Clover certainly wouldn’t be far behind.

Together, they wrapped up the fight efficiently, far more quickly than Qrow could’ve hoped for. Clover shot him a cocky smile as he turned away from the last of the Grimm, retracting Kingfisher to its sheathed position while Qrow did the same with Harbinger. Clover’s eyes were blazing with leftover energy from the fight, and Qrow stared for just a bit before Clover’s voice brought him back to himself.

“Well, I think that went better than expected,” he said, pleased, surveying the ash floating into the air around them.

Qrow raised an eyebrow at him, “Yeah, I’m a little surprised, actually. Guess we got lucky.”

He tossed a smirk at Clover as the man threw his head back in a laugh. Clover was always delighted when Qrow participated in the little inside joke that’d been going on since they’d discovered each other’s semblances, and Qrow secretly reveled in making his battle partner so happy. The man certainly deserved it after the strife he’d gone through when he’d decided to leave the military in favor of joining their rebellious little group.

The sight of Clover’s laughter brought a gentle warmth into his chest, which he decided to blame for why he continued, “You’re pretty damn good, you know. I haven’t met many huntsmen who can keep up with me in battle like that.”

Clover’s eyes practically lit up. “Why Qrow, I’m honored,” Clover teased, flashing him a cheeky grin, “that’s a quite the compliment, coming from you.”

Qrow felt the warmth in his chest crawl up to his cheeks and looked away, trying desperately to shove it back down. “Yeah, okay. Don’t make me regret saying it.”

Clover chuckled and he felt a hand reaching out to catch his in a gentle squeeze. “I mean it, Qrow. Knowing I have your good opinion means a lot to me.” He let go. “We should probably get out of here before anyone else shows up.”

Qrow nodded, thankful that Clover had changed the subject. He wasn’t sure he'd able to speak past the lump that had lodged in his throat.

III. Adore

Qrow stood in the doorway, watching the small tornado of chaos and mayhem that normal people in a normal household might’ve called cooking dinner.

The mission had gone off with barely a hitch, and he let his guard fall as much as he ever did. He watched the group in front of him fondly, taking a moment to absorb the sight of them, his _family_ , milling around the kitchen, bumping against and tripping over each other as they crowded the small space.

Clover stood in the middle of it all, smiling at the kid’s antics, the light of the overhead bulb casting his features in a warm glow. Qrow watched as Clover maneuvered the kids with ease, gently nudging Ruby and Yang’s grabbing hands away from the bowl and laughing as he handed it safely over to Ren’s protection for garnishing.

Clover had merged into the group with ease after his split with the military. By that point, Qrow was already much fonder of the huntsman than he’d been ready to acknowledge to himself at the time, but the kids had picked up on it almost immediately. They’d wasted no time in bringing him into their lives, and as much as Qrow knew Clover had enjoyed being around them before, it was barely any time at all before he was completely and utterly charmed.

Clover himself had been determined to prove worthy of their trust and had used all of his own considerable charm and easygoing nature to endear himself to them. Watching him now, slyly winking at Blake as he quickly hid the desserts in the pantry for later, Qrow felt his chest lighten strangely.

Warmth spread all over him, and he was seized with the sudden thought that even with the Grimm, with Ironwood, with Salem out for them all, he was so, _so_ fortunate to get to come home to this.

There was a dark part of his mind that was always wary and watchful, waiting for the other shoe to drop, for his semblance to bring everything good in his life to ruin. But that part of him grew quieter with every day he spent with Clover and the kids, and even it couldn’t ruin his enjoyment of the homey scene in front of him.

Clover finally noticed him standing there, and Qrow tried to wipe whatever sappy expression he was wearing off his face as he caught his gaze. He gave Clover a nod of acknowledgement as he strode past the kitchen to his room. He bent down, quickly sliding a cleaning cloth over Harbinger before storing it away when he heard footsteps and the creak of the doorframe behind him.

He turned over his shoulder to see Clover leaning casually against the door, smiling at him softly. He felt a small smile of his own quirk his lips.

“What are you staring at?” he prompted eventually, when it seemed his partner was disinclined to speak.

Clover held his silence for a few more beats before moving toward Qrow with efficient purpose, never dropping eye contact. He bent down and calloused fingers came up to brush lightly against Qrow’s skin as Clover reached out and cupped his cheek.

Green eyes continued to hold his gaze, and Qrow saw determination and passion burning behind them. He was about to ask Clover what in the hell was going on in that head of his when Clover spoke first.

“I adore you,” he said, firmly. “I just wanted to make sure you knew.”

Qrow’s eyes widened and he was still fumbling for a response when he felt Clover’s lips press warmly over his. Qrow brought one hand up to clutch Clover’s arm, stabilizing him as he brought the other around to fist in short brunette strands on the back of his head and pull him closer.

They parted after a few moments, and Qrow couldn’t feel anything but that pleasant lightness again as he slid his hand down to brush along the sharp line of Clover’s jaw.

He looked Clover- handsome, warm, safe Clover- directly in the eyes.

“I adore you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> I realized after I finished writing this that this is definitely the longest thing I've ever written for fandom, although to be fair I haven't really written much. But I've had a lot of fun doing it. 
> 
> On a separate note, somebody please explain to me how the process of writing long fics happens because all I can ever seem to manage are these little vignettes. Y'all are amazing to me.


End file.
